by Jill Sanders
He shrugged and, looking very uncomfortable, glanced over her shoulder to the dark window outside. “I started college at sixteen. I finished my four years of undergraduate and focused on my medical degree. Then I started my very long stint of residency and finally coming on part-time while waiting for a surgical residency position to open up.” He sighed.
“Surgery?” she asked, knowing she sounded a little surprised.
His eyes returned to hers. “Yeah, half-way through classes, I decided where I really wanted to be was surgery. But, for now, I’m stuck working ER.” He shrugged. “Until another residency position in surgery opens up.”
She thought about it and nodded. “Any clues when that will be?”
He nodded to her plate. “You done?”
She glanced down at her half-eaten food and nodded.
Reaching over, he pulled the plate over to his side of the table and finished off her meal.
“No. I was up for the position, but it went to a senior resident.” He shrugged once more.
“So, what? You bide your time by working as a TA and stripper?” she said in a low tone.
His eyes moved up to hers. “Hey, they pay the bills. Besides, I like working with students at the college.”
“How did you make it through eight years of school at twenty-five?”
“Twenty-six,” he corrected.
“Okay, twenty-six then?”
He finished the rest of her food and then took a drink to wash it all down. She could tell he was uncomfortable with talking about his own accomplishments, the same way Jamie was.
Leaning forward on the table, she searched his blue eyes as she asked.
“Why is it that exceedingly intelligent people are always apprehensive talking about their own accomplishments?”
He set his glass down and leaned in. “The same reason exceptionally attractive women are uncomfortable receiving compliments.”
She shifted in her seat and it took all her willpower not to pull back.
“There it is,” he said nodding towards her. “I’ve worked hard to get where I am. I won’t deny that, and I will continue to work until I reach my goal of helping people the best way I can.” He reached out and took her hand. Then he played his thumb over her knuckles, making her daydream about his fingers touching her in other places. “I make no apologies for how I’ve gotten where I am. My other job is a means to the end.”
“And your TA position?” she asked.
He shrugged and looked down at their joined hands for a moment before returning to lock eyes with her. “A little of the same plus a little something extra.”
Something told her that he was talking about her now.
Chapter 6
He knew that he’d spooked Emily last night. But after what he’d been through, his emotions had been a little raw and he’d thrown caution out the window.
Besides, she’d been right about him feeling embarrassed about talking about his own accomplishments. He was proud of where he was, but still, he’d rather talk about anything else.
They had sat in the diner for almost two hours and talked about everything and nothing at all. It wasn’t until he’d caught her yawning that he’d walked her out to her car. He’d desperately wanted to kiss her but didn’t think the parking lot at Denny’s was the most romantic spot to have their first kiss.
And he knew that after kissing her once, there would be more.
So he’d hopped on his bike and driven home while she drove in her hybrid car towards her own place. It had taken a while for his mind and body to settle down and finally drift off.
He woke shortly after sunrise and decided a jog on the beach would help clear the scent of Emily from his mind.
When he climbed the stairs back to his apartment after his run, his mind was working overtime, and he’d decided to muddle things up by asking Emily to meet him at the club that night. After all, what could go wrong? Right?
When he walked into the apartment, he was surprised to see Karla and Blaine arguing in the kitchen.
Trying to tiptoe through the living room towards his bedroom, he cringed when he heard Karla call out to him.
“What do you think, Rafe?” she said to him, and he groaned inwardly at his timing.
“Think?” he asked, turning towards them.
Blaine looked very uncomfortable as he leaned against the countertop, sipping a cup of coffee.
The fact that the mug he was using belonged to Karla didn’t escape Rafe.
“About?” he finished.
“I was just telling Blaine here that I’m selling this place,” Karla said easily, though a few seconds earlier, her voice had been raised and she’d been on the verge of hysteria. She was a smooth actress and used whatever means necessary to get what she wanted. Which at the moment, if he was calculating correctly, was Blaine’s full attention.
“You are?” He walked over and poured himself a cup of coffee, since he knew that he was now locked in the conversation.
“I’m thinking about it.” Karla tilted her head and ran a long fingernail down Blaine’s arm. “If the price is right.”
“It’s too high of a price.” Blaine shook his head and glanced in his direction. Something in his friend’s look told Rafe to agree no matter what the price was.
“You haven’t even thought about it. I’ll give you a night…” Karla started walking out of the room.
“I don’t need to think about it,” Blaine said, stopping her exit.
Karla actually stomped her foot lightly, a move that was beneath her. Then she crossed her arms over her chest and a small pout formed on her lips.
“You haven’t had enough time to think about it.”
Rafe took a sip of his coffee. The caffeine was just starting to wake him up.
“I will not marry you,” Blaine said.
Rafe choked on the sip and rushed over to the sink to spit out the liquid.
“Jesus,” he said through coughs.
“Easy,” Blaine said, slapping him once, very hard, on the back.
“You can’t be serious.” Rafe turned to Karla. “You’re not the… you can’t… no.” Rafe shook his head.
“It’s only for legal purposes,” she supplied. “My ex is trying to go after my income. I need a shelter…”
“I will not be that for you. Find someone else,” Blaine said smoothly.
Karla’s eyes narrowed as she moved forward. “I’ve supplied a place for you and your friend to live for the past year.” Her fingernail ran up Blaine’s chest and stopped at the small cleft in his chin. “Your rent has been reasonable thus far.” Her eyes ran over his friend like he was the bait and she was the shark. Suddenly, Rafe really wished he’d taken a longer run. “I can make things very… uncomfortable for you.”
“Go ahead.” Blaine wrapped his hand around her wrist and nudged her hand away from his face. “I’ve worked up an agreement with my lawyer…” Rafe’s eyebrows shot up. This was the first he was hearing this. “We’ve come up with a very reasonable offer for this place.” He walked over and picked up a folder form the table and handed it to Karla. “I suggest you take the offer since you won’t have any other like it. Like I told you, this will be the last time I make it.” Blaine turned to him. “Sorry to drag you into this… mess.” Blaine turned and left the room.
Karla turned to him and, after tossing down the folder, narrowed her eyes at him. “What do you know?”
He shook his head and took another sip of the coffee. “Nothing,” he answered after the caffeine hit him.
“How did he get his hands on that kind of money?” She motioned to the folder.
He shrugged again. “Beats me.”
She made a noise of frustration and then took the folder and marched out of the room.
Rafe relaxed and decided he needed to shower and have lunch outside of the apartment.
He pulled out his phone and shot a text to Emily.
-How about hanging with me tonight at Sunset Strip?
It took almost ten minutes to get a response. By that time he was in the shower. When he heard his phone buzz, he ducked his head out of the shower curtain and smiled at her reply. It was so unlike anything Emily would say that he guessed her roommate had replied instead of Emily.
-Jamie and I were just talking about needing to see some tan toned bodies.
-Hi Jamie, make sure you bring Emily along with you…
-Ha, can’t fool you. See you then. Emily sends XOXOs
He laughed. He was pretty close to Emily’s roommate, Jamie. Blaine and Jamie had been friends over the past year or so and often he found himself hanging out with her. Still, he realized in the past few years, he hadn’t made too many friends. Maybe it was because he’d been too busy or maybe it was because he’d been focused on keeping his head above water with all the bills he had.
When he heard the front door slam, he figured Karla had left and it was safe to head out. He found Blaine standing in the kitchen, making a sandwich.
“Heading out to the club?” he asked, seeing Rafe toss down his bag filled with his clothes.
“Yeah, you?”
“You know it.” Blaine smiled.
“So…” He nodded towards the folder Karla had left on the coffee table. “Want to fill me in?”
Blaine sighed. “I came into some unexpected money.” He sat down on the sofa and when Rafe didn’t ask, he finally offered up. “Inheritance from my mother.” He shrugged. “So, I put an offer on this place last week. I guess that’s why Karla came down here with her own scheme of trying to get me to marry her so she could get ahold of my inheritance. How she found out about it… I can only guess.” His eyes rolled. “She even tried to convince me that marriage would somehow try to shield her money from her ex. But I’m not someone who falls into a trap that easy. The moment the money hit my bank account, I called Emily’s father and had him put an offer in on this place, which I’m sure is another reason Karla came all the way down here.” He shook his head and rolled his eyes.
“Holy shit.” Rafe sat across from him. “How much money?” He shook his head and held up his hand. “Not my business, but damn, why didn’t you tell me you’d put an offer on the place?”
Blaine closed his eyes and leaned back. “Because I didn’t think she’d take it.”
“Has she?” Rafe asked.
“Not yet. She keeps trying to alter the deal, but I know she’s having money problems with her ex. She’s almost desperate and I offered a quick sale. The price is right and well… she’s desperate,” he reiterated.
“Right.” Rafe nodded. “Is there anything else you want to tell me?”
Blaine smiled. “I bought a boat.”
“Jesus.” Rafe stood up. “Fucking-A. I guess you did come into some money.” He shook his head. “Why are you still going to the club?”
“Hey, there are other voids outside of money that Sunset Strip fills.” Blaine laughed.
“Right.” Rafe shook his head. “Emily and Jamie are going to stop by tonight.”
Blaine’s eyebrows shot up. “Really?” He stood up and rubbed his hands together.
“Emily is not for you,” he warned.
“Whoa.” Blaine held up his hands. “Got the message loud and clear. Besides, I could tell she was… too pure for my tastes.”
“Pure?” Rafe’s eyes narrowed. The word left a foul taste in his mouth for the rest of the day, right until he watched her and Jamie swagger in the front door of the Sunset Strip.
She was wearing a very short burgundy flare skirt, showing off those long sexy legs of hers. The black striped top was see-through, allowing a view of the black push-up bra she wore underneath.
The sexy black heeled boots made her taller. Which reminded him that he still had the lone red heel in his nightstand drawer.
He noticed that her long hair had a new red tint to it, causing his mouth to water.
As she moved around the club with Jamie close by, the last thing he’d believe about her was that she was pure. Especially when she locked eyes with him, and he got his first glimpse of those sexy bedroom eyes of hers.
“Evening.” He smiled at her and rested a hand on the back of her hip, leaning in and placing a soft kiss on her left cheek.
“Hi,” she said, and he felt her vibrate under his hand.
“Drinks,” Jamie called out, waving towards the bar and then disappearing quickly.
“How are you feeling?” Emily motioned to his black eye.
He chuckled, touching the bruise gently with his free hand. “I’m fine.”
“I see you used it to your benefit.” She motioned to his boxing shorts and the gloves he’d swung around his neck.
He chuckled. “Use what you have.” He shrugged, his hand moving slowly over her narrow hip.
“Right.” She bit her bottom lip. The dark burgundy color she’d painted on her lips had his dick jumping in his shorts.
“Besides, women love a dangerous man,” he said, leaning closer to her. “At least that’s what I’ve been told.”
She smiled up at him and leaned even closer to him, until she was a whisper away from his ear. “Knowing how you got that”—she motioned to his eye— “makes you even hotter in my book.”
That did it. He was wondering how he was going to hide his boner from the entire club.
Just then Jamie returned with two drinks and Blaine in tow.
“Look who I found,” Jamie said with a giggle. The fact that she was hanging all over Blaine had Rafe’s eyebrows rising slightly. Maybe the two of them were closer than he’d believed.
Blaine was wearing his classic cowboy attire.
Rafe didn’t normally drink while he was on shift, but he asked Crissy for a beer when the waitress walked by.
“That’s me,” Blaine said suddenly. “Stage two.” He winked at Jamie.
“We’ll be right over to enjoy the show,” she called after him as he left.
“It’s hot in here tonight,” Jamie joked and waved her hand in front of her face.
“What’s in this?” Emily asked, making a face at her drink.
“Vodka and…” Jamie laughed. “Vodka. I’m heading over to enjoy the show…” She motioned to stage two where Blaine was entertaining a large group of bridesmaids. He had the future bride up on the stage in a chair, giving her the standard bride-to-be dance routine. “Watch your drink.” It was Jamie’s standard warning. Emily was thankful her friend watched out for her. She’d heard all the horror stories of women being drugged and raped. She smiled at Jamie, and her friend stuck her tongue out at her.
Emily rolled her eyes at Jamie’s back.
“Can we get some seltzer water?” he asked Crissy when she handed him his beer.
“Sure thing, sugar.” Crissy winked at him and disappeared again quickly.
“She has the hots for you,” Emily said when they were alone.
“She’s married.”
“Doesn’t matter. If she could see you naked, she would.” She reached over and took a sip of his beer.
“What about you?” he asked, watching the way she sipped the beer.
“Oh, I’ve already seen you. Remember?” She leaned a little closer to him.
“Not completely.” He reminded her with a smile and felt his body react as he reached up and held on to her hip as she swayed next to him.
“Sorry,” she said suddenly. “Jamie gave me a few shots before we left the apartment.” She reached up and touched her fingers to her temple.
He could see now that her eyes were unfocused, and she was really relaxed.
“She tied me down and dyed my hair.” She touched a strand of her hair and looked at it. “It’s temporary, but still, it’s red.”
He chuckled. “I like it.”
“You do?” She looked back at him. “She also made me wear…” She motioned to her clothes. “My top is see-through.”
He leaned closer until her chest bumped against his own bare chest. “At least you’re wearing
a shirt,” he joked.
She laughed and took another sip of his beer. “I like this better than…” She handed him the glass Jamie had given her. Then, to his surprise, she rested her free hand on his chest. “I like running my hands over this better than…”—her eyes moved up to his—“mine.”
“My god.” It came out as a moan.
Chapter 7
It was as if someone else was controlling her body and her mouth. No matter how much she told herself to stay in control, she kept messing up. And her hands seemed to always be touching Rafe, as if he’d swallowed a giant magnet and her fingers were made of metal. Now she knew she was really drunk.
Giggling, she relaxed against his body as his hands came around her. She didn’t realize she was dancing at first, not until she felt his body sway against her own. As he brushed up against her, she felt his desire and groaned at the thought of feeling it against her own naked body.
“Oh,” she said, shaking her head to clear it of the image. “Stupid Jamie.” She handed him back his beer. “I think she got me drunk.”
She didn’t know where the glass of vodka Jamie had gotten her went, but he took the bottle and it too disappeared quickly. Then his hands moved back to her hips and held her steady.
Suddenly, she felt guilty for keeping all of his attention.
“Aren’t you supposed to be…” She glanced around the crowded room. “Shaking your stuff on a stage somewhere?”
He chuckled. “I just got done… shaking my stuff right before you came in. I have about half an hour before I’m back up.” He started walking them towards the back area and she could see there were dark booths that sat all along a crowded dance floor.
She was thankful to sit down, since the heeled boots Jamie had strapped onto her feet were a full size too big for her and she was feeling wobbly in them.
“Better?” he asked, sitting directly next to her. His naked arm and chest kept rubbing up against her exposed skin.
“Yes,” she admitted as he rested his arm behind her shoulders. “You’re doing that on purpose,” she accused him.